Learnin' the Blues
by Ranger's Scop
Summary: She learns to let go. He decides never to forget her. Decades apart and a few special songs lead to two different decisions. Special thanks to my beta reader, BlueberryMuffins76, for making sure you guys didn't have to go through grammatical errors torture. Read and Review please! Rated K for angst.


_Learnin' the Blues_

Inspired by Frank Sinatra's song "Learnin' the Blues"

 **Author's note: I do not own Marvel, but if anyone would like to give me Marvel they would be my new best friend. But if you can't give me Marvel….then give me a Review! *Hops around* I love reviews (hint hint….)**

 _ **The tables are empty - the dance floor's deserted**_

 _November 17, 1945_

Music from the *RCA blared as happy couples swung on the dance floor. Alone, at a table near the far end of the room, a woman in a military uniform sat dejectedly staring at the door, siping at a small glass of clear alcoholic drink. A man, he too in a military uniform, however marked with the rank of colonel, entered and looked around. Once he spotted the woman, his buzzard-like face turned even sourer as he quickly marched over to the table.

"Agent Carter, this is outrageous," he chided, "he isn't coming back. We all knew this after Stark's searches failed and when he didn't show up here for two months. Give it up!"

"I will not, Colonel Phillips," the woman replied, spitting the words out with a British accent. "I will never give up hope that he is still alive. But, since you are unhappy at my presence here, I'm not coming back here...after tonight. I decided that this morning."

"Good," the Phillips grunted. "Goodnight, Agent Carter."

"Goodnight, Colonel."

Agent Carter leaned back and finished off her drink. She watched as happy couple after happy couple danced, drank, laughed, did everything she imagined herself and Steve doing after the War. If only he was still here. It had been only six months since he had crashed, six months of searching vainly for the aircraft of Hydra, now Steve, or rather, Captain America's last known

position. She had waited in this very place, the Stork Club, every Friday and Saturday night she could when she was stationed in New York. But he hadn't come...perhaps...perhaps he was really...

No! She wouldn't think this way! Wearily she watched as the people began to dissipate and the tables empty until the only people left was herself and the club owner. The last song played on the RCA as the swish swish of the broom sounded in the back room.

 _**_ _I don't want to walk without you , baby_

 _Walk without my arm about you , baby_

 _I thought the day you left me behind_

 _I'd take a stroll and get you right off my mind_

*RCA is also known as a record player

**Barry Manilow's song "I don't want to walk without you"

 _April 22, 2011_

It was a wonder that the old place was still standing, though it was being used as a piece of history that the local folks had kept around for years. Steve, hands tucked into a black jacket and face shadowed by a ball cap, stood in front of the old, almost decapitated building. Faint white words read, "Stork Club", and two small steps led up to the door. Hesitantly, Steve walked up the stairs and into the building. Tables and chairs with "do not sit" signs were scattered around the edges of the room and a bar, also with a sign that read "do not touch", with empty bottles arrayed neatly on the shelves. An old record player was playing its snuffly tune.

 _*_ _Day by day I'm falling more in love with you_

 _And day by day my love seems to grow_

 _There isn't any end to my devotion_

 _It's deeper dear by far than any ocean_

Steve wondered if Peggy had ever sat in this room, wondering about him as he did about her now. Only nowadays, the chairs were dusty, the bar empty, and the dance floor deserted.

Frank Sinatra's "Day by Day"

 _ **You play the same love song – it's the tenth time you've heard it**_

 _ **That's the beginning – just one of the clues**_

 _ **You've had your first lesson – in learnin' the blues**_

 _November 17, 1945_

 _*_ _But now I find that_

 _I don't want to walk without the sunshine_

 _Why'd you have to turn off all that sunshine_

 _Oh baby, please come back_

 _Or you'll break my heart for me_

 _Cause, I don't want to walk without you_

 _No siree_

 _I don't want to walk without you,baby_

 _Walk with out my arm about you, baby_

 _I though the day you left me behind_

 _That I'd take a stroll and get you right off my mind_

 _But now I find_

 _That I don't want to walk without the sunshine_

 _Why'd you have to turn off all that sunshine_

 _Oh baby, please come back_

 _Or you'll break my heart for me_

 _Cause I don't want to walk without you_

 _I don't want to walk without you_

 _No siree_

"You don't mind if I stay and listen to some music?" Peggy asked, slipping the owner some money as the last song finished.

"Oh no!" the old man said hastily, gathering the money up, for it was hard to come by, even in his business.

"Thank you," she smiled.

She set a new record into the RCA and sighed as it started playing. Her footsteps echoed on the wooden floor as she paced, listening to the song over and over again. It had been Steve's favorite new song and her's as well.

 _**_ _Have I told you lately that I love you_

 _Have I told you there's no one else above you_

 _Fill my heart with gladness_

 _take away all my sadness_

 _ease my troubles that's what you do_

*I don't want to walk without you continued.

**Rod Stewert's "Have I told you lately?"

 _April 22, 2011_

 _*_ _I find that day by day you're making all my dreams come true_

 _And (so) come what may I want you to know_

 _I'm (that I am) yours alone, and I'm in love (in love) to stay_

 _As we go through the years day by day_

 _(I said, day by day)_

 _(As we go through the years day by day)_

The song finished, and Steve sighed fighting back the storm of emotions as music that he knew played sweetly. An old lady walked into the room.

"Can I help you sir?" she asked.

She changed the record, replacing it before Steve could sneak a look at the title.

"No," he put on his fake, but genuine looking smile.

A familiar tune rumbled out of the speaker phone and a sob-like breath escaped his mouth before he could stop it.

The old woman smiled knowingly, "It looks like you have the blues young man."

The song's lyrics stung him as he listened.

 _**_ _For the morning sun in all it's glory_

 _greets the day with hope and comfort too_

 _You fill my life with laughter_

 _and somehow you make it better_

 _ease my troubles that's what you do_

*Day by Day continued.

**Have I told you lately continued….

 _ **The cigarettes you light – one after another**_

 _ **Won't help you forget her – and the way that you love her**_

 _ **You're only burnin' – a torch you can't lose**_

 _ **But you're on the right track – for learnin' the blues**_

 _November 17 1945_

The old man smiled apologetically at Peggy, "I promised my granddaughter to be home before she goes to bed."

His cigar smoke disagreed with Peggy's lungs and she coughed a few times, "It's alright sir, I'll be gone when you get back."

He disappeared around the corner and she gathered her things, lingering at the door as the music still played.

 _*_ _There's a love that's divine_

 _and it's yours and it's mine like the sun_

 _And at the end of the day_

 _we should give thanks and pray_

 _to the one, to the one_

 _*_ _Have I told you lately continued..._

 _April 22, 2011_

 _*_ _Have I told you lately that I love you_

 _Have I told you there's no one else above you_

 _Fill my heart with gladness_

 _take away all my sadness_

 _ease my troubles that's what you do..._

The words stopped abruptly as the door slammed shut. He hadn't meant to run, but he had. Away from that song that dredged up memories that had been buried with Steve Rogers from the 1900s. Leaving the old woman gaping, he had rushed out the door and into the street.

"Peggy," he whispered, glancing down at his watch that had miraculously survived his fall into the ice. "How can I forget you when I still love you?"

*Have I told you lately continued….

 **When you're at home alone, the blues will taunt you constantly**

 **When you're out in a crowd, the blues will haunt your memory**

 **The nights when you don't sleep – the whole night you're cryin'**

 _November 19, 1945_

Peggy clutched the Steve's file picture to her heart before slipping it back in its folder on her desk. She looked in the mirror one last time making sure her makeup covered the evidence of her red eyes. She had spent the night crying off and on, trying to forget and move on. Straightening her blue jacket, she stepped briskly to the door, slipping out into the busy streets. Humming she made her way down to the base.

 _*_ _There's a love that's divine_

 _and it's yours and it's mine like the sun_

 _And at the end of the day_

 _we should give thanks and pray_

 _to the one, to the one_

 _*Have I told you lately continued…._

 _April 22, 2011_

 _*_ _And have I told you lately that I love you_

 _Have I told you there's no one else above you_

 _You fill my heart with gladness_

 _take away my sadness_

 _ease my troubles that's what you do_

The song kept playing in his head, refusing to let him forget. He was all alone in this 21st century, a man out of time and horribly misfit in this culture of technology. Steve held her picture, enclosed in his watch, whose hands were forever poised over the hour of his fateful crash. Being in a crowd made him feel stupid, but being alone was worse, it gave him time to think. Think about the life he left behind.

*Have I Told You Lately continued….

 _November 19, 1945_

Peggy glared at the new transfer Colonel Phillips had shoved her way. He was tall and lanky, with an honest face, and black hair that swooped down into his forehead. Now, Michel Rouz, was on his knees trying to pick up every piece of his file and put it back together. Smiling nervously he straightened and handed her the disheveled file. His smile was familiar, sort of like Steve's crooked grin. She found herself smiling back.

"Welcome, Agent Rouz," she greeted pleasantly.

"Please, ma'am, call me Michel," he stuttered.

"Most people call me Agent Carter," Peggy stiffened at his use of "ma'am"

"Sorry, ma'...Agent Carter," he grinned again.

"But, you can call me Peggy," she smiled. "Come now, we have some work to do."

As they walked past Colonel Phillip's office, music from the wireless caught her attention. She smiled sadly as she passed it.

 _*_ _Take away all my sadness_

 _fill my life with gladness_

 _ease my troubles that's what you do_

 _Take away all my sadness_

 _fill my life with gladness_

 _ease my troubles that's what you do_

"Goodbye Steve," she whispered.

"Did you say something, Agent Peggy?" Michel asked.

"No," she smiled, "now lets go to the range."

She sighed and slowly let go of her past with Steve. Colonel Phillips was right, it was time for a new start. Who knew? It might even be with this handsome new agent.

*Have I told you lately

 _ **But you can't forget her – soon you even stop tryin'**_

 _ **You'll walk the floor – and you'll wear out your shoes**_

 _ **When you feel your heart break – you're learnin' those blues.**_

 _April 23, 2011_

Steve sat, head between his hands, on the couch in his apartment. The watch was unfolded before him, Peggy solemn face, the light glancing off it from the lamp. Suddenly he stood, and began to pace again, trying to bury Steve Rogers behind Captain America's sure, confident smile. He wanted to forget her, but everytime he tried his heart felt like breaking. He just couldn't forget her! His first and only love! Pretty soon he gave up trying to forget and buried it beneath a barrier of leadership, courage, and skills that all belonged to Captain America. People would know him as Captain America, they wouldn't look for the Steve Rogers trapped inside. Taking a shaky breath, he smiled and walked out the door to meet up with Agent Coulsan at the jet. He was Captain America now. No time to dwell in the past, or linger in the blues.

No time for feeling blue.

 _ **When you're at home alone, the blues will taunt you constantly**_

 _ **When you're out in a crowd, those blues will haunt your memory**_

 _ **The nights when you don't sleep – that whole night you're cryin'**_

 _ **But you can't forget her – soon you even stop tryin'**_

 _ **You'll walk the floor – and you'll wear out your shoes**_

 _ **When you feel your heart break – you're learnin' those blues.**_

 _ **The End**_

 **So was it good? Bad? Ugly? Leave a review and tell me!**


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